Providence Preview

Tonight, BU opens the regular season at home against Providence College. Finally, BU has a chance to put behind them a very rough offseason and focus on the 2013 season.

BU will be without Freshman defenseman Ahit Oksanen for the season opener and game two on the schedule because of an NCAA violation. Otherwise, BU should have a full lineup. It would not surprise me if the line combinations (forwards anyway) are the same as the exhibition game last Sunday. In goal, it's still a toss up and I have no inside information so I don't know who will be in the cage for the Terriers. If I had to guess, it would be Matt O'Conner, strictly because he started the exhibition game.

From The Vault
Chris Higgins tries to get off a shot against PC in the last game
of the 2009 regular season. BU won this game 3-0 and claimed
the Hockey East regular season title in the process.
(Photo by Matt Dresens)

Scouting the Friars 
Last night, Providence blew out Sacred Heart in their season opener at home. One year ago, PC finished 7th in the conference and made it all the way to the Garden in the Hockey East Tournament, before losing to the eventual tournament champions in Boston College. This year, Providence returns much of their team and has also added some very strong freshman to the roster.

Currently, sophomore Ross Mauermann is the overall points leader with three, all coming in last night's romp over Sacred Heart. Last year, Mauermann lead the Friars in points with 25(10g, 15a) in 38 games. Junior Derek Army, son of former PC coach Tim Army, was third in points last year with 22. Senior Tim Schaller led Providence in goals scored in 2012 with 14 in just 26 games played. Freshman, Mark Jankowski was selected 21st overall by the Calgary Flames this past summer in the NHL draft. Jankowski wasted no time in finding the back of the net, scoring twice in his first colege game, just one night ago.

In goal, PC will have Freshman Jon Gillies who will take over for four year starter Alex Beaudry. Gillies made 14 saves in 40 minutes of play last night, allowing no goals on 14 shots.

The Last Time They Met...
was a home and home series in the middle of January. BU swept the series easily, scoring 14 goals to Providence's one.